Up In The Tower
by spiffy the scribbler
Summary: Time wasn't always on their side, but it didn't really matter.
1. Time

Another fluffy sidestory that is **_very, very loosely associated with the SiTS universe. _**It's pretty separate I guess, but it's a story to mke up for the lost erm... Inspiration for that sort of writing in SiTS. It's got most of my OC's and everything, and Cho's still socialite of the year and blah blah. That's what I mean by loosely associated. But it's not the same plot as SiTS. Of course. Anyway. Enjoy.

* * *

'I can't imagine what you'd do if you had me for longer than a couple of hours,' said Cho Chang, her head propped up on her elbow, looking over her shoulder at the boy who'd spent the previous hour or so between her legs.

'I think it better that I show you,' said Harry Potter, his lips tracing the smooth skin of Cho's bare shoulder, 'but the way the teachers are giving you homework, I don't think you'll have the time.' His hand, hidden beneath the makeshift blanket of his robe, stroked her naked hip, gently prodding at her hipbone. He kissed her shoulder softly, as Cho's free hand reached back and cupped his face, tenderly stroking her fingers against his cheek.

'I always have time,' said Cho, rolling onto her back so that she looked up at Harry's face, once more bespectacled. 'For you, anyway.' She ran her fingers down his jaw and brought his mouth to hers. 'You know that.' Beneath his robe, she could feel his strong, calloused hand on her stomach, his limber fingers running over her belly, daring- no, not daring, not anymore; not after countless nights spent caressing her skin as he made love to her, no, drifting confidently lower to run his index finger across her. All the while he looked into her face, her eyes, and she into his, those bright emeralds behind his glasses glinting affectionately at her. She ran a hand down his arm; still slightly lean in comparison to what most women considered brawny, but still strapping nonetheless. Cho massaged the pale muscle gently; so different from that scrawny teenager barely breaking into puberty she'd first laid eyes on at the pitch 3 years ago. Her other hand cupped his cheek.

'Mm, maybe,' said Harry, turning his head and pressing a searing kiss in the centre of Cho's open palm, and then tracing to bite the soft mound of her thumb, 'but does that mean you spend less time in the books?' He caught her wrist in a gentle grip, letting his lips caress the tender skin of her wrist. 'I don't want you failing any of your N.E.W.T.'s because of me.' Since perhaps late-September had their now-repaired relationship existed, the snogging eventually coming to the sex early January, sometime in the early hours of the New Year; Ron and Hermione had gone home for the holidays, Mrs. Weasley had invited him too, but he had politely refused, opting to spend his Christmas holidays with Cho, and by the time the clock had struck 12, and the few others who'd chosen to remain had begun giving out New Year kisses and tossing back the butterbeer in the Great Hall, he and Cho had fallen into his dormitory bed, and then the rest was history. It hadn't been her first time, she'd told him carefully; that honour had, she said, regrettably gone to Roger Davies. But it had only been once, the first and the last time. She hadn't found anything particularly special about it; Roger had always been the ladies man, and he'd known how to treat her so that all had felt as physically pleasurable as it should have. Cho had told Harry all of it, his inexperience and curiosity getting the better of him. But, she'd said, it still hadn't felt as she thought it should feel. She knew that first times were never what a girl would imagine them to be, but she knew it just wasn't supposed to feel the way it had. There was no real… Spark. No emotion, except for Davies' rather emotional sounding cry of completion, she'd laughed as she told him. No love. So when she finally lay beneath Harry that night; beautiful, calm and naked, it was as if she'd been untouched. Their first time together had been indescribable; romantic enough, but still down-to-earth, and so damned sweet that Harry had forgotten to be embarrassed. Afterwards, he'd held her in his arms and felt as if no other completion would ever satisfy him. He didn't want any other; he didn't want to try sleeping with other girls, it just didn't seem right. Only with Cho would he feel complete.

Since then, they'd spent every spare moment they could with each other; occasionally they'd be short on time, so sometimes a fast and furious, but oh-so-adrenaline pumping quickie was the only option. The nerve-teasing risk of them being caught on one of those quickies only made them more addictive; they sometimes couldn't help the sound they made.

'I won't,' said Cho, her hips tilting up slightly, responding to Harry's ministrations between her thighs, colour slowly rising in her cheeks. She said nothing more; only sounds escaped her lips.

'Mm—mmm–mm–'

Harry made no sound as his fingers deftly played inside her, save for his breathing, which along with hers, began to grow ragged.

'Aah–aahh–aah–'

Harry could feel himself ridged against her thigh; she'd always been able to arouse him, even if only with the sound of her voice. He wanted to kiss her; everywhere, but couldn't tear his eyes away from her face; her beautiful, pale face that had pleasure etched all over it. _For him._ He firmed his fingers, working his thumb on the sensitive bud on the outside in time with the others. Harry looked at her mouth, her pink, moist lips were wide open-

Cho was soundless as the rapture took her, the only sound her attempt at sharp inhales and heavy exhales as the pleasure tore through her, but then, a small, high-pitched gasp escaped her lips-

And Harry kissed her. His hand continued to pleasure her below, but he kissed her; while her mouth was open, and her eyes were closed. But she responded; kissing him back feverishly in her heat.

And they hadn't even had dinner yet.

* * *

Later, when they began to speak in coherent English once more; Harry curled against Cho, spooning, the latter said on a derisive, but well-intended laugh, 'Since when do you care about schoolwork anyway?' 

'When it involves you,' said Harry truthfully, his arm slung across her waist.

Cho elbowed him gently, the corners of her lips tugging in a smile.

Harry grinned and attempted to pull her closer, when she turned around and pushed him onto his back. He made no move to oppose her, and she settled against him, her cheek against his chest, her fingers running over the pallid skin of his chest. His heartbeat was strong beneath her slender fingers. Harry's hand instinctively rose to her silken black hair, stroking and running his fingers through. He could feel her pressing herself against him; she was warm and soft, and her supple figure matched his in a way he was sure no other could.

Cho wriggled until she was comfortable; completely atop Harry, her slender thighs draped across his, their bellies touching every breath. 'Won't Ron and Hermione wonder where you are?' she asked, pushing herself up on his chest.

Harry's grin and gentle laughter told her they wouldn't. 'And since when do you care about whether they do?' He kissed the top of her head; his nose catching her scent. 'If I'm not at breakfast, lunch or dinner all in the same day, they know where I am.' Ron keenly listened in when Harry gave naughty hints as to his whereabouts; the Weasley had yet to even see a girl naked, let alone shag her. 'If I'm not in a class,' he said, sitting up to lean against the stone wall of the high tower room they'd chosen as they preferred love spot, 'they know.' Ever since that day they'd come back to school, and he'd not gone to the station to meet them, instead finding him later, much later, waltzing into the common room with one of the smuggest looks they'd ever seen, looking extremely pleased with himself, his hair even messier than usual, and the dead giveaway, his fly unzipped. Hermione had rolled around laughing when she'd set her eyes on the last part, only sobering when Ron had decided to graphically explain how it came to be. Since then, Harry had inconspicuously boasted to Ron just about every day, much to Hermione's dismay. She'd said that it was a little boisterous, and somewhat sleazy to brag about one's female exploits, and made the female feel inferior, used and cheap. But Ron had contested that Harry was only boasting because he was proud of himself, and that he himself, Ronald Weasley, was plain and simply curious, it wasn't like he let on graphic stuff anyway; Harry had more respect for Cho than that. But he let on enough for Ron to be asking every five minutes with a goofy sort of grin, 'Did ya get any?'

Reaching out to delicately trace his face, Cho tilted her head, an amused, slightly irritated look on her face. 'Are they alright with it?'

'Well,' said Harry, holding her slim waist in his hands, 'Ron's perfectly fine with it, and Hermione's just concerned I'm not paying enough attention to my schoolwork.'

* * *

'You weren't at dinner,' observed Hermione pointedly, and then rolling her eyes at Ron who grinned at Harry who'd just come through the portrait hole. 

'I know,' said Harry, falling into the nearest armchair. His grin had been plastered the moment Cho had kissed him goodbye and bade him good night. _Oh, very good night._ It was still on his face.

'So how was it?' asked Ron eagerly, putting down his quill and joining Harry by the fire.

'I don't think you need to know that Ron!' said Hermione, her tone as if disgusted, shocked, and embarrassed all at the same time.

Ron ignored her. 'Well?' he persisted.

Harry sank further into the chair, feeling extremely languorous and satisfied. He grinned lazily.

Ron grinned back. 'That good, eh?'

Harry's grin didn't fade; not even in the morning.

* * *

'_Harry–Harry–Harry–'_

_His name on her lips spurred him further, holding her hip in one hand, and the other bracing himself just above her for fear of hurting her._

_But she persistently pulled him toward her; she knew he wouldn't hurt her. Not like this. One hand lay in his sweaty black hair, her fingers tight, while the other raked his back, nails digging ever deeper as his hips quickened their pace between her thighs._

'_Unh–unh–unh–'_

_He acquiesced; lowering himself so that he felt her writhing wildly beneath him; his skin sliding against hers. His lips found her neck, and he kissed the damp skin, opening his mouth and pressing warmth to her already heated skin. His nerves tightened; he knew he couldn't take much more, and his thrusts became harder, more insistent. He was hot, so hot, and then she tightened around him, her head tilting back, her mouth open in that pleasured pink O._

_And his world exploded in a flash; rapturous, shattering into a million white-hot shards of light. He heard a distant moan, and dimly realised it belonged to the beautiful girl beneath him. His eyes had shut, and his fingers pressed into her soft skin; he could feel her thighs hugging his hips. A long, guttural groan escaped his throat, and he collapsed in her arms, his heavy panting against her neck once more.

* * *

_

'Wow,' said Eri Lee, watching her best friend pile her plate high with food, 'he must've been good last night if you're this hungry.'

'Hm?' Cho had barely heard the words spoken. She picked up her knife and fork delicately, in contrast to the monstrous pile on her plate. 'What?'

Eri rolled her eyes. 'I said,' she lowered her voice, but moved closer to Cho, _'he must've been good last night if you're this hungry.'_

'Oh,' was all she could say before nodding and then she set about demolishing the mountain on her plate.

'You didn't get back to the dormitory till after midnight, you know,' said Eri.

Cho swallowed her mouthful. 'I know.' She took a swig of orange juice. 'I also know that I missed dinner last night, so if you don't mind, my stomach and I are going to catch up.'

Eri snorted. 'What stomach?' Cho's stomach was as flat as a desk and as toned as the bells in the clock tower. 'I don't recall you having a stomach.'

Cho, her mouth full, smiled derisively. They ate in silence for a short while, before Eri spoke again. 'Aren't you, you know, sore?'

Cho shrugged. 'A little I guess,' she said, 'it's not too bad. I mean, when I woke up this morning it was pretty bad, but after my shower and the walk to the Hall, I was okay.'

'Oh,' Eri said suddenly, reaching into her pocket, 'you know how you said I could borrow that top of yours?'

'Mm.' Cho saw Eri pull out her hand, but couldn't see what she was holding. She raised a perfectly arched brow.

'I kind of found this,' Eri whispered, opening her hand underneath the table. In it, was a small lacy, _very_ flimsy creation of black panties. 'Now these,' she said in a hushed, but delighted tone, 'are _hot._'

Cho's eyes widened. _'Give me those!'_ She snatched the underwear out of Eri's hand and shoved them into her own pocket, turning a very pretty, very visible shade of pink.

'What are you _doing_ with those?' whispered Eri gleefully, giggling and ignoring Cho's sudden distaste.

'Nothing,' said Cho blankly. She could see Harry looking at her the next table over; grinning. _He_ didn't know what she was whispering about, but he'd recognise the panties if she'd shown them to him. She'd worn them on their 5 month anniversary, after all. And he'd taken them off.

* * *

I think I'll have the second chapter up soon... I dunno.

Review all!


	2. Sex Burns 360 Calories An Hour

As you can tell by now, that this story is heavily based on Harry and Cho's... Well, sex life. And the time they have for it, and all the rest. There is a minor plot, I suppose in the end, but it's not some bigshot story with the revelating twists and what have you. Just something we can all enjoy without the sometimes-heinous evil of big storylines.

* * *

'We really should bring a blanket or something,' said Harry, draping his robe over Cho, slumped over him, panting against his skin; spent, exhausted, all strength from her faded. Her once firm hand had weakened to a fragile, soft touch on his chest, and Harry rubbed her warm shoulder. 'You alright?' He'd reached completion too of course, but he wasn't as tired as Cho seemed to be.

'Mm-hmm,' was said softly against his skin. Cho opened her eyes and weakly pulled herself closer to Harry's warmth. His hands on her back were soothing; slowly stroking and gently fingering her heated skin. He didn't seem to be at all tired. She suddenly sat up. 'Did you–'

'Yeah,' said Harry, grinning somewhat smugly, 'yeah, I did.'

Cho relaxed and settled in his arms again. Well, that was a relief. She sighed, pressing a kiss to Harry's chest. 'I suppose you think I wasn't happy with last night,' she said, 'what, with me dragging you in here after your last class.' She supposed she had been a _tad_ brusque in waiting for him outside the Transfiguration classroom, grabbing hold of him from behind the moment he stepped out, seductively inveigling him into the deserted tower in the northwest of the castle that they so frequently visited nowadays and shagging him till he shouted out in pleasure. Just a tad bit. But she really couldn't help herself. There were just those moments when she wanted him so badly she thought she might melt into a puddle of aroused goo onto the stone floor if she didn't have him, when she just wanted to feel his fingers on her skin, if only for a moment, or his lips on hers. When she wanted to hold him close so badly she thought she'd go crazy if she didn't, and when she just wanted to see him, his face, those bright green eyes glimmering at her. It had been one of those. Not because she hadn't been satisfied or displeased with his performance last night.

'Well,' said Harry, reaching over to plonk his glasses on his nose and scratch his head, 'either that or I'm just too damn irresistible to you.' He grinned at her. 'I'm kind of hoping it's the last one, but–'

'Yeah,' said Cho sarcastically, 'it is.' But it really was true. 'Just don't go boasting about it; I'd hate for people to think I was crazy for getting insanely hot around _you_, of all people.' She grinned at him and pressed her lips against his cheek, trailing to the pale column of his throat.

Harry grinned, and wanted to kiss her, but he loved the feel of her mouth on him. 'Are we still on for Hogsmeade?' he asked, looking at the bare stone wall opposite them, his hand running up and down her side.

'Of course,' said Cho, but she didn't raise her head. 'Why would you think otherwise?'

Harry shrugged; much to Cho's giggling dismay as she too went up and down with his shoulders. 'Dunno. I just thought you'd be busy.' It was a little unsettling, how little time Cho spent with her studies nowadays, but still, as Eri had repeatedly told him with unrestrained agitation, that she still remained top of the class. He'd seen her study; at peace, quiet and collected, and she still did, but all that extra time a sensible, diligent girl committed to her studies would have spent with her books, she spent with him.

'I told you,' she said, finally looking up into his face, 'I always have time for you.'

'I know.'

* * *

'_Huh–huh–huh–'_

_She rode him; grinding her hips against his in a feverish passion. Her nails sank into his abdomen, her fingers curling as she neared._

_He held her hips in a tight grip, holding her close; steady and possessive. He looked into her face; her eyes closed in conspicuous pleasure. Her hands clutched at him; he rose to kiss her but she opened her eyes and held him down, riding him ever harder. He could hardly contain his own voice; but this time they were words, words of encouragement and raging lust._

'_Cho,' he panted, 'oh yeah, Cho–'_

_She felt him reach for her chest with one hand; boldly fondling and kneading. Her breath hitched for a moment, opening her eyes to look at his face; he looked back at her, again trying to sit up. This time he did, his hand leaving her chest to cover her hip again, while the other slid up and cupped her jaw._

_She slowed, unsteadily and shakily. She still hadn't reached ecstasy, but could feel the glimmer of it just beyond._

_Their warm breath mingled in the silvery darkness, her hair a soft dusky screen around their faces; foreheads touching, lips brushing over and over, he drank her soft moans as they left her lips._

_Incited by his kiss, she regained her pace and rode on, and when the beginning glint of rapture sparkled in her eyes; flickered in her face, her head fell back and she clutched his shoulders with surprising strength, a soft cry echoing from her throat._

_Watching her, he kissed the exposed column of her throat; her pulse was racing, her skin was warm, and he held her close as the pleasure began to take him; rising and erupting in an enormous wave and drenching him.

* * *

_

'Could you not look so…blissful? I'm trying to do homework here,' said Eri, scratching her quill irritably.

'So am I,' said Cho, flipping a page of a textbook. 'And I don't look blissful.'

'Yes you do. Stop smiling.'

'I'm not smiling.'

'Yes, you are.'

'No, I'm not.'

'Really, look into a mirror. You've had _the same smile_ on your face ever since you came back from riding Harry to oblivion.'

'Yeah, I was exhaust– Hey, how do you know–?'

'You said your thighs were sore when you came back.'

'Oh. Did I?'

'Yep. Right after you _SMILED_ at me.'

'Wait a second, you could tell I-I– because I told you my _thighs were sore?'_ Cho asked as reached for the handheld mirror on her bedside, and true to Eri's words, as the sky was blue there was a dreamy, enraptured smile on her face. 'Oh. I am smiling. Whoops. Sorry.' She put the mirror down, and her face straightened. To be promptly smiling only a moment later.

'…Still smiling.'

* * *

'Have you done that Charms essay, Harry?'

'Yeah, finished it before I went to bed. Why?'

'Bloody hell, Harry,' said Ron unbelievingly, 'How d'you find time to do homework in between, you know–'

'It's called willpower, Ronald,' said Hermione in a matter-of-fact tone. 'Harry's got a girlfriend, and he still manages to find time to finish his homework, unlike you; no girlfriend to speak of.'

'Well, I bet Cho helped him!' argued Ron. 'She helps you with homework, right mate? I mean, she's in Ravenclaw, and she's the Head Girl, and–'

'When I ask for it, yeah.' Sure, when he'd been absolutely clueless about something in class and Hermione was swamped with her own schedule, he'd gone to Cho. Who, aside from studying for her N.E.W.T.'s, was more than happy to help. Resulting in a many hush-hushed snog in the library; tearing apart in childish fits of laughter only when Madam Pince approached or when they suddenly realised that it wasn't snogging they were in the library for. Although when they _did_ get caught, Madam Pince wasn't exactly chuffed that the Head Girl and Harry Potter were sharing the same pair of lips in between pages of her precious books.

'Maybe if _you_ helped _me_ once in a while,' said Ron indicatively, 'then _I_ could get _my_ homework done!'

'Ronald!' said Hermione, slapping down her quill, 'I already do _enough_ of your homework _for_ you! Who wrote the entrance paragraphs for your Herbology, Defence Against the Dark Arts, _and_ Transfiguration essays? Hm? Who? Who, I wonder? Oh, that's right! _Me!_' She stood up and pointed a slim finger at Ron. 'Don't accuse me of not helping you Ronald Weasley, because for the past _six years,_ that's all I've done!' She whipped around and jostled her homework into her bag and ran up the dormitory stairs.

When it was quiet for all but the fire; Ron looking somewhat affronted and a little guilty, Harry eventually asked, 'Did she really do the first parts of all those essays for you?'

Ron shrugged. 'Well, yeah,' he said slowly, 'but, still… She doesn't need to be so emotional about it.'

* * *

'So what are you wearing to Hogsmeade tomorrow?' asked Eri the next morning, sitting on her bed, already dressed for class. 'Something easy to get out of, maybe?'

Cho, standing in front of a mirror and doing her tie, shot Eri an irreverent look. 'Oh, ha ha.'

'Well,' said Eri, sliding off the bed, 'what d'you expect me to think with, what, that overactive sex life of yours, and that overactive sex drive of _his._'

Cho mok-frowned at her friend in the mirror. 'I thought you said a healthy sex appetite was a good thing.'

Eri smiled slyly. 'Only when it's _me_ getting some. _You,_ however, are Head Girl, Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain _and_ Seeker. You've got a lot on your plate. It's harder for you, isn't it? Aren't you afraid of getting caught?'

Cho shrugged as she put on her robe. 'I dunno,' she said, a pleasant look on her face, 'it's kind of fun, knowing someone could find you, and knowing sometimes you have only a few minutes to, you know…'

'Flying figgles,' said Eri in cynical shock, 'is Cho Chang, socialite and beauty queen, that _kinky?'_

'Er…' Cho half-smiled.

'Anyway,' said Eri quickly, 'I get the fun in quickies, but I reckon long hauls are better for you.'

'Oh?' Cho raised a brow.

'Didn't you know that sex burns 360 calories per hour?'

* * *

Cho looked at Harry snoozing beside her. They'd shrewdly left the Great Hall after a quick bite, and by the time the other students were having dessert, _they _were on their, what, third round? It was now, she could tell, sometime after midnight. She'd exhausted him, and she knew it. Cho brushed back a lock that had fallen into his face, covering his scar. She traced it slowly. What would happen when this year was over? She would no longer be at Hogwarts, Harry would be in his seventh year, and though she knew he'd do all in his power to stay loyal to her, there were plenty of willing girls around; for him, anyway. And any boy could only take so much time without sex; once they'd had a taste, it really depended on how determined they were, and how much they cared for the girl. And Cho knew Harry loved her. He'd whispered it in her ear innumerable times when they lay together afterwards, warm and close, he'd told her so in public as many times, and had murmured it in the comforting darkness of night. But next year, when she was no longer around so often, would that change? Would he grow tired of her; of not seeing her, and finally break the bond that she'd so longed for? Or would she be the one to move on; though she still didn't know what she wanted to do after school, and would she be the one to grow tired? Such thoughts never brought pleasant dreams, but she couldn't help wondering.

Cho gently ran her hand through his, as usual, untidy black hair and stood up from the corner of the tower room they'd claimed as their own, searching through the scattered clothing, and upon finding Harry's larger shirt, pulled it on and stood by the window, the pearly moonlight speckling the cold stone floor through the screened window. Cho pushed aside the thin veil of material, and the light pooled in, illuminating a small portion of the room that included Harry's foot that poked out from under the improvised blanket of his robe. She shook her head and smiled, turning to the small window the size of perhaps two of her textbooks, looking out onto the glassy lake. What _was_ she going to do when she left Hogwarts? She knew she didn't need a job; she had enough money in the family vaults to last several lifetimes, but she knew she needed purpose. With the grades she had, she really could do anything she wanted, but Cho didn't want to do just _anything._ She didn't want a career because it was what everyone did in their lives; she wanted to do something, in her eyes, worthwhile. Something that she _wanted_ to do, but not something that would waste her life away. But what?

Her father had always said that if she didn't have anything to do, she could take over the family business. Or rather, businesses. Chang Wizarding Ltd was one big business, and was hardly limited, it of course branched into dozens of other businesses, which in turn had their own subordinate businesses- Well, you get the picture. And the Chang family owned each and every one of them. If Cho decided to live a life of decadent luxury doing no job whatsoever like many wealthy, noble, pureblood witches, it was likely she'd spend her days having tea with the social 'elite'; throwing parties, gossiping and turning her nose at all things disagreeable. That sort of life didn't exactly appeal to Cho, but it was an option nevertheless. She could also take her father's place as head of Chang Wizarding Ltd, sitting behind a giant antique desk most of the day, and pulling her hair back into a tight, clean bun every morning. Although, it was more than likely she'd take the business on no matter what decision she made; she as eldest child of the head of the Chang family, of all people, had an obligation to the family business, so whatever she ended up doing, be it Quidditch, medical magic or nothing at all, she'd still be involved in Chang Wizarding Ltd.

Wait a second.

Quidditch. Of course! She could be a professional Quidditch player! But… That was nearly every wizarding child's dream. And only a small percentage made it to the professional leagues, and an even smaller percentage to fame and success. If she wanted to play _and_ get well paid for it, she had to be good. She had to stand out, and- Cho shook her head as the thought bubble popped. Who was she kidding? She wasn't all that good, and had yet to beat her own boyfriend at the game. But then again, Harry _was_ talented, and many people had told her, her own family and friends as well as others, that she was too; she was equal to Harry, but he'd just managed to nick victory away from her every time. But was she good enough to go pro, _and_ be successful enough to uphold the family pride?

Cho couldn't think of any unsuccessful member of the Chang family, and could only think of names that most people would know. There was her mother; a legend amongst the medics, the author of several bestselling medical magic texts, and then there was her father; enough said, there was Aunt Mai, who was Captain of the Japanese Gobstones Team, Cousin Po, who was the Ministry's special contact in foreign affairs, Uncle Yoshi, who was the Giant-Class Eating Champion of Asia Pacific- although Cho didn't know whether that could be classified as successful, but there were countless others who'd made names for themselves if they hadn't ended up in the family business. So what was she to do? Model? That thought fizzled along with a career in horticulture and cleaning.

Hm. Singing?

Hell no. She only sang in two places. The shower, and her dreams. So… Modelling resurfaced again. No way! So she'd been born drop-dead gorgeous, so what? Who said modelling had anything to do with that? The current standard for models was to be tall and stick-thin. She was barely breaking 5"4. She would look like a legally qualified dwarf compared to the lot of them; Harry was taller than she by a tiny bit (quite some more than a tiny bit, but she'd never admit it).

'Cho?' Harry's voice gently disturbed the still darkness.

'Hm?' She turned; Harry was sitting up on his elbows, squinting and blinking into the new brightness of the moonlight.

When Harry could see clearly, he saw Cho, the light casting a soft halo around her; he recognised his shirt, illuminated too by the silvery moonlight. Her hair had turned onyx in the soft glow; a shiny, ink-like cascade down her back and framing her face. 'What are you doing?' he asked finally, after staring at her for several moments more; he simply couldn't stop looking.

'Oh,' she said, smiling softly and turning to the window and then to him again, 'just thinking.' She padded toward him, kneeling down and then resting her head on his chest.

He buried his hand in her sleek hair. 'About?'

'Mm,' said Cho, pressing her lips together, 'nothing much.'

Harry heard the hesitation in her voice, and raised his head to look at her. 'Is everything alright?'

Cho looked up, saw the alarm in his eyes, and hoped her own disquiet didn't show in hers. 'Erm, sure. I'm just stressed out, is all.' She offered a reassuring smile at him, stroking his bare chest with her fingers.

'Are you sure?' There had been too much unease in her voice, and she tried to hide it; but her eyes betrayed her. 'Cho, what's the matter?'

Cho laughed to herself; she should've known better than to have tried to conceal it from him. 'It…' But the words strangled themselves in her throat. 'It's my last year, Harry,' she said, not looking at him.

Harry sat up. A small chill ran up his spine, and it wasn't from the cold wall he was leaning on. _Where was this going?_ 'Yeah, I know.' His hand wandered to hers on the stone floor; he took it, running his thumb over the warm backs of her fingers, squeezing. She feebly squeezed back. He looked at her; she still wasn't looking at him. 'So?' He bent down to make eye contact, but she turned away.

Cho shrugged. 'And you've got one more.'

'Yeah. So?'

Cho laughed again. He really wasn't getting it. So naïve, and yet, he'd faced more danger than she had in half the time. 'Aren't you… Worried, at all?'

Harry blinked. 'About what?'

'About _us_,' said Cho, a little exasperated. 'Aren't you worried that I might get attracted to someone else outside of school, or that _you_ might give in because I'm not around anymore, or that we'll just drift apart, or-or…'

Harry couldn't stifle the laugh that rose in his throat. She had a knack for thinking about the sort of thing that wasn't particularly the positive side of something. But for some reason, the idea of him cheating, or even _her_ cheating, seemed something close to preposterous. Harry couldn't imagine himself with someone else, and he couldn't imagine anyone else with Cho either, the thought simply bringing on a jealous growl in his chest. 'I'm not worried, because I know I won't–'

'You say that now,' cut Cho, 'but this time next year, you might be in this tower with Merlin knows who…' _Doing exactly what she knew. _Touching someone else. Kissing someone else. Loving someone else. The very thought made the backs of her eyes sting, but she blinked the tears away before Harry could see.

'No,' he insisted, 'I won't. I promise.'

'And what if _I _do?' she asked angrily. She couldn't bear the thought of it, but the bottom line was, it could happen. 'What if _I_ can't deal with it and get attracted to someone else, or…' She trailed off; her fingers now limp in Harry's strong hand. 'I don't even know what I want to do when I leave.'

Harry leaned toward her, putting a hand to her cheek and stroking with the backs of his fingers. 'Then… Then I'll just have to remind you that I love you pretty often, eh?'

Cho choked out a laugh, shaking her head. 'Now that you've promised me you'll stay loyal, you're going to confess undying love for me too? I think that comes standard with the fairytale promise of trust and loyalty.'

'Well,' said Harry, scratching his head and shrugging, 'I think I've already done that.'

_Yes, he had._ Many, many times. Cho smiled and said nothing further, burying her face in the warm crook of his neck. Harry loved her; she loved him back. 'Nuff said.

* * *

'Just where do you think you're going, _Theodore?'_ asked Eri to Theo, who was about to follow Cho out the common room door, before she grabbed his ear and twisted.

'I –AAHHH!– Keep an eye on her –YOOW!– Just tailing! _OOOWWW!'_

'What is _with_ you and your insane need to know about Cho's _obviously_ mind-blowing sex life?' asked Eri, letting go of Theo's ear.

He rubbed it dutifully. 'Oh, what, are you going to tell me _you_ aren't interested? Have you _seen_ the flush on her cheeks when she gets back from getting some? I swear, that Potter's got to be good in bed–'

'Then why don't _you_ sleep with him, Theo?' asked Eri scathingly. Cho's cousin was _such_ a perve. But he was still incredibly, almost _unbelievably_ good-looking.

'Because,' said Theo, flashing a sly grin at her, 'I'm not into guys.'

* * *

Next stop, Hogsmeade! And for those who thought my SiTS Hogsmeade chapter was corny, you'll like this one better. Still kind of fluffy, but not so cheesy.

Review kiddies!


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